"Poverty? Is poverty an excuse to harm people?" Bai Sheng sneered. "There are many poor people in this world, yet many still remain good. If you hadn't harbored ill intentions back then, your current situation would be much better."
The grandfather of Xiao Chibao repeatedly nodded, "The young lady is absolutely right, Qian Laowu. Look at us, aren't we all struggling? We've struggled for most of our lives, but we have kind hearts and have never done anything against our conscience.
Look now, all of us who contributed to digging the well when the children were working, haven't we all received care from the Master and the young lady? Which one of us is not living well? Except… except for your family!"
Qian Laowu's gaze swept over everyone, noticing that the families from his village had all gained weight, no longer looking like skin and bones as before. Their clothes had fewer patches, and everyone appeared clean and tidy.
The more he looked, the more frightened he became. He felt that these people were becoming increasingly different from him. They would never stand by his side. Alas, his life was so miserable. He had only, in a moment of extreme anger, stepped on a few saplings, and now he was to be tormented to death by these people. Was there no law at all?
Xiao Ma's father raised his voice, "Our good life now is all thanks to the Master and the young lady, and that's because we are honest and diligent. Only then did the Master and the young lady look up to us."
"Exactly, those with ill intentions never end well!" Tian Guihua spat at Qian Laowu.
The crowd, one after another, verbally thrashed Qian Laowu.
Lu Ye said to Prince Yu, "Prince Yu's judgment is very appropriate." It was rare for him to agree with Prince Yu. Hmph, who made his darling girl angry? He would make sure that person paid dearly. "However, this humble subject suggests that the execution should preferably be done during the day, and announced to all surrounding villages. Let all able-bodied villagers come to witness. It's best if everyone knows that anyone who willfully destroys privately owned trees must be severely punished. Otherwise, after dealing with Qian Laowu today, there might be a Wang Laowu or a Li Laowu tomorrow."
Ji Chenghuo's eyes lit up upon hearing Lu Ye's words. He said to Prince Yu, "Reporting to Prince Yu, Brother Lu makes a very good point. Your subordinate suggests that we in Bianzhou should enact corresponding laws specifically to protect the trees and crops in the desert. Your subordinate has been working with the planting team these days and has personally seen every sapling and every crop. It is extremely difficult to plant and cultivate them, and they must not be destroyed by those wicked people!"
The ecological protection issues that Xiao Shengmei had told him about now needed to be put into action.
Prince Yu nodded, "Then it shall be as you two have said. The execution will take place tomorrow at noon in the open space in front of Hongshu Slope. Ah Bian, quickly send some people to the nearby villages to notify them of this matter. Make it as big as possible! Ji Chenghuo, immediately draft the Agricultural and Plant Protection Law, which I will read out publicly tomorrow."
"Yes!" The guard named Ah Bian and Ji Chenghuo responded in unison.
A Qiu said, "Master, tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Is it appropriate to carry out the execution at this time?"
Prince Yu said with a cold smile, "It is very appropriate to carry out the execution at this time. I want the people of Bianzhou to see what kind of consequences await those who intentionally damage trees and crops!"
Ji Chenghuo strongly agreed. In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. Otherwise, some uncivilized and ignorant people truly wouldn't understand the gravity of the situation. With Xiao Shengmei planting these trees, who knew how many people would come to cause trouble in the future.
These were still saplings. If they grew into large trees and bore fruit, many more people would be envious, and troublemakers would emerge endlessly.
By then, it would be too late to deal with them.
To change the desert survival environment, the laws at this time had to be strict. Thinking of this, Ji Chenghuo already had a plan in mind.
Ah Bian, leading several guards, rode tall horses and carried gongs and drums, going overnight to the nearby villages to announce Qian Laowu's execution the next day at noon. This immediately brought noise to the otherwise lifeless villages.
In the middle of the night, on New Year's Eve, what exactly had Qian Laowu done to provoke the officials to the point of rushing to the village overnight to issue a notice?
The villagers, after discussing it amongst themselves, realized that it was Qian Laowu who had destroyed dozens of fruit trees on Hongshu Slope.
This made the villagers even more shocked. It was just dozens of trees, not a murder, so at most a few dozen lashes would suffice. Why was he to be publicly beheaded? This… wasn't this an abuse of power?
It could be said that the family on Hongshu Slope was becoming more and more rampant. Relying on their wealth and the support of Prince Yu, they actually didn't take human lives seriously.
Of course, among the villagers, there were also some who understood reason and kindly reminded those who were gossiping to stop their idle chatter. The family on Hongshu Slope had more than a dozen household servants and didn't need to hire anyone to work. Yet, they were building roads, constructing houses, planting trees, and growing crops, all with the aim of helping the nearby villagers. Without them, many families would likely have starved to death.
Some also said that the saplings were very precious because Prince Yu had designated Hongshu Slope as an agricultural pilot project. If Hongshu Slope could successfully grow trees and crops, Prince Yu would promote it throughout Bianzhou. Moreover, in this arid desert, how difficult it was to grow a tree! Even a dog would not bear to destroy a living sapling. Qian Laowu had destroyed dozens of them at once, so it was understandable that they were angry.
Every village was abuzz with discussions, making for an exceptionally lively New Year's Eve. As for whether they would go to watch the execution tomorrow, of course they would.
Such a spectacular drama, not to watch it would make one less than human. And it was said that Prince Yu himself would preside over the trial. Prince Yu was staying with the family on Hongshu Slope during the New Year, and coincidentally encountered this matter.
They must go and see the excitement.
After calling out in the villages, Ah Bian specifically instructed the village chiefs to bring the villagers to Hongshu Slope tomorrow at noon to witness the execution.
How could the village chiefs dare to refuse? Let alone Prince Yu, in these remote and poor villages, even yamen runners rarely came. Now, Prince Yu's personal guards had come and interacted with them personally. Such honor would be enough for them to brag about in the village for a lifetime.
That night, Qian Zhaodi's mother led her younger brother to Hongshu Slope, crying, making a scene, and threatening to hang herself, demanding that Bai Sheng and the others release Qian Laowu.
No one on Hongshu Slope paid any attention to her. Ah Qiu, with a few guards, stepped forward and sternly warned her that if she continued to make trouble, they would execute her on the spot.
Zhaodi's mother was frightened into stopping her crying and scolding, and then went to beg Qian Zhaodi. Qian Zhaodi no longer dared to have any dealings with her and stubbornly hid in her room, refusing to come out.
Zhaodi's mother then began to curse her fiercely, until Lightning intervened. Hissing its forked tongue, it scared the mother and son out of Hongshu Slope.
Tian Guihua, Liu Shi, and Yang Shi did not want to bother with Qian Zhaodi. Only Grandmother Zhong, being old and seeing Qian Zhaodi as an unfortunate person, walked to her room door, intending to offer her some advice.
"Zhaodi, if the young lady hadn't bought you, how could you still be alive? And living so well? In the future, you must work hard and be well-behaved, otherwise, you will truly be letting down our young lady. Don't you know whether your parents are fit to be human? Once they get involved with you, it's like dog skin plaster, impossible to shake off. In the future, you must be more discerning."
Qian Zhaodi sobbed, "Thank you, Grandmother Zhong. I understand."